1. Field of the Invention
Applicants' invention relates to the field of aptamer- and nucleic acid-based diagnostics. More particularly, it relates to methods for the production and use of single chain (single-stranded) fluorescence resonance energy transfer (“FRET”) DNA or RNA aptamers containing fluorophores (“F”) and quenchers (“Q”) at various loci within their structures.
2. Background Information
FRET-aptamers are a new class of compounds desirable for their use in rapid (within minutes), one-step, homogeneous assays involving no wash steps (simple bind and detect quantitative assays). Several individuals and groups have published and patented FRET-aptamer methods for various target analytes that consist of placing the F and Q moieties either on the 5′ and 3′ ends respectively to act like a “molecular (aptamer) beacon” or placing only F in the heart of the aptamer structure to be “quenched” by another proximal F or the DNA or RNA itself. These preceding FRET-aptamer methods are all highly engineered and based on some prior knowledge of particular aptamer sequences and secondary structures, thereby enabling clues as to where F might be placed in order to optimize FRET results.
Until now, no individual or group has described a method for natural selection of single chain (intrachain) FRET-aptamers that contain both fluorophore-labeled deoxynucleotides (“F-dNTPs”) and highly efficient spectrally matched quencher (“Q-dNTP”) moieties in the heart of an aptamer binding loop or pocket by polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”). The advantage of this F and Q “doping” method is two-fold: 1) the method allows nature to take its course and select the most sensitive FRET-aptamer target interactions in solution, and 2) the positions of F and Q within the aptamer structure can be determined via exonuclease digestion of the FRET-aptamer followed by mass spectral analysis of the resulting fragments, thereby eliminating the need to “engineer” the F and Q moieties into a prospective aptamer binding pocket or loop. Sequence and mass spectral data can be used to further optimize the FRET-aptamer assay performance after natural selection as well.
Others have described nucleic acid-based “molecular beacons” that snap open upon binding to an analyte or upon hybridizing to a complementary sequence, but beacons are always end-labeled with F and Q at the 3′ and 5′ ends. FRET-aptamers may be labeled anywhere in their structure that places the F and Q within the Forster distance of approximately 60-85 Angstroms to achieve quenching prior to or after target analyte binding to the aptamer “binding pocket” (typically a “loop” in the secondary structure).
“Signaling aptamers” do not include a Q in their structures, but rather appear to rely upon the “self-quenching” of two adjacent fluorophores or the mild quenching ability of the nucleic acid itself. Both of these methods of quenching are relatively poor, because eventually F-emitted photons escape into the environment and are detectable, thereby contributing to background light and limiting the sensitivity of the FRET assay. True quenchers such as dabcyl (“D”), the “Black Hole Quenchers” (“BHQs”), and the QSY family of dyes (QSY-5, QSY-7, or QSY-9) are broad spectrum absorbing molecules that appear dark or even black in color, because they absorb many wavelengths of light and do not re-emit photons. The inclusion of a Q in the intrachain FRET-aptamer structure or the competitive aptamer FRET format, reduces background fluorescence intensity significantly, thereby increasing signal-to-noise ratios and improving assay sensitivity.
In addition to the novelty of the quencher introduction into the assay formats and advantages conferred in terms of sensitivity by cutting background fluorescence, the method of selecting single intrachain FRET-aptamers based on differential molecular weight and fluorescence intensity of the target analyte-aptamer bound subset fractions is a novel FRET-aptamer development method. The F and Q molecules used can include any number of appropriate fluorophores and quenchers as long as they are spectrally matched so the emission spectrum of F overlaps significantly (almost completely) with the absorption spectrum of Q.